Fighters identify radar contacts as flock of birds in Lithuania

Lithuania lifted an air alert after fighter jets identified radar contacts as a flock of birds, LRT reported. Residents were told they could leave safe places and shelters.

A possible air threat was announced at around 12:59 p.m. in Vilnius, Trakai and Elektrėnai districts and in the city of Vilnius. The alert was lifted at 1:37 p.m.

The National Crisis Management Centre said the radar contacts had initially appeared similar to those made by a drone. Fighter jets taking part in NATO’s air-policing mission were sent to check the object and determined that it was a flock of birds.

“In initial radar information, the signatures of birds and unmanned aircraft can be similar, so an additional check was carried out to determine the nature of the object precisely,” the centre said.

LRT publishes a list of shelters across Lithuania. Information about emergency situations is also available at LT72.lt.

Shelters are intended to provide short-term protection, for up to several hours, during an air threat. Suitable locations can include the basements of apartment buildings and public buildings, underground car parks, garages, cellars, tunnels, sanitary facilities at companies and sports institutions, and warehouses containing non-flammable materials.

After hearing the civil-protection signal “Air threat”, residents are advised to quickly find the nearest marked shelter or take cover in a depression, ditch, underground pedestrian crossing, tunnel or cellar.

Under the “No air threat” status, residents may leave safe places and shelters.